Armrest assembly

ABSTRACT

An armrest assembly applied to connect an armrest with a seat bottom. The armrest includes an armrest member, an armrest support and a fastening plate extending from a bottom end of the armrest support toward the seat. The fastening plate is arranged with a plurality of fastening holes so that the fastening plate is secured on the seat bottom by inserting screws through the fastening holes. The armrest assembly uses a pad with tapered plane being fixed on a fastening plate on a bottom side of an armrest support to adjust the relative position of the fastening plate and a bottom side of the seat. Thus the armrests are arranged vertically on two sides of the chair. Moreover, one armrest of the present invention is applied to connect with a plurality of chair seats so as to increase applications of the armrest.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an armrest assembly, especially to anarmrest assembly that uses a pad being fixed on a fastening plate on abottom side of an armrest support to adjust the relative position of thefastening plate and a bottom side of the seat. Thus the armrests arearranged vertically on two sides of the chair. Moreover, one armrest ofthe present invention is applied to connect with a plurality of chairseats so as to increase applications of the armrest.

Refer to FIG. 1, a conventional armrest 10 of office chairs 1 includesan armrest member 11, an armrest support 12 and a fastening plate 13extending from a bottom of the armrest support 12 toward a seat, aplurality of fastening holes 14, fastening members 15 corresponding tothe fastening holes 14 such as screws inserting through the fasteningholes for securing the fastening plate 13 on a bottom side 17 of a chair16. Thus the armrest 10 is assembled with the chair 16. Afterassembling, the armrest 10 is disposed vertically on two sides of theseat, as shown in FIG. 7, not obliquely at a θ angle as shown in FIG. 8.This is a common requirement while assembling the armrest 10 on thechair seat 16. There is not restriction on structure, function ormaterial of the armrest 10. As to the armrest member 11, the armrestsupport 12 and the fastening plate 13, they can be integrated into asingle piece. They can also be separated from one another and areassembled to form a double-piece or multiple-piece armrest. The heightof the armrest is either fixed or adjustable. The armrest is made frommetal, plastic, or combinations of various materials.

Generally, design of the fastening plate 13 of the armrest 10 depends onthe bottom side 17 of the chair seat 16. Thus one kind of armrest issuitable to a corresponding chair seat. Once the armrest 10 is assembledwith other kind of chair seat with the bottom side having differentslope or arc, the armrest 10 is not perpendicular to the chair seat 16after being assembled. This leads to inconvenience of production andassembling processes. For example, it takes at least threeprocedures-design, molding and manufacturing to produce one kind ofarmrest that matches one style of the chair seat. Once the left armrestis different from the right one, the procedures are more complicated.Although the armrest member 11 and the armrest support 12 may be thesame for two kinds of the chair seat and the only difference is in thefastening plate 13, the armrest in a single-piece armrest assembly stillneeds to be molded separately. This not only causes trouble in qualitycontrol of the armrest 10 but also increases manufacturing cost of thearmrest 10. Furthermore, when the bottom side of the chair seatcorresponding to the fastening plate has different arc or slope, thearmrests 10 are still unable to be perpendicular to two sides of thechair seat 16 even change of the arc or the slope is quite small. Thearmrests 10 inclines at a θ angle, as shown in FIG. 7.

In order to solve above problems, a washer is used to be disposed on thefastening member 15 and clipped between the fastening plate 13 and thebottom side 17 of the chair seat before inserting the fastening member15 through the fastening holes 14 for locking the fastening plate 13 onthe bottom side 17 of the chair seat so as to adjust relative positionof the fastening plate 13 and bottom side 17 of the chair seat. Thus thearmrest 10 is adjusted to keep vertically on two sides of the chair seat16. However, such way to add a washer on the fastening member 15 isunfavorable to the assembling because generally there is more than onefastening member 15. Take the embodiment having the fastening plate 13with four fastening holes 14 in FIG. 1 as an example. In order to makeadjustment or correction by disposition of the washer on the fasteningmember 15, no matter the adjustment is on the inner side, outer side,front side or rear side, at least two fastening holes 14 (as a set) areinserted by two fastening members 15 and then a washer is arranged onthe two fastening members 15 respectively. Next the fastening members 15are in position and fastened on the bottom side 17 of the chair seat.Because the two fastening members 15 are respectively inserted throughthe fastening holes 14 and the washer is unable to be fixed on thefastening plate 13 in advance, the assembling and fastening of thefastening members 15 and the washers are quite troublesome so that theworking efficiency of the assembling is reduced. Therefore, theassembling cost of the armrest assembly is increased and this hasnegative effect on mass production. Furthermore, addition of the washerbetween the the fastening plate 13 and the bottom side 17 of the chairseat may spoil the appearance of the chair and further reduce its senseof value.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide anarmrest assembly that is applied to connect an armrest of an officechair and a seat bottom. An easy-positioning and easy-fixing padcorresponding to each of fastening holes on a fastening plate of anarmrest is provided so that while assembling the armrest with differentseat bottoms, the relative position of the fastening plate to the seatbottom is adjusted and corrected by positioning and securing the pad oncertain position of the fastening plate. Next by fastening members thatsecures the assembly, the pad is also secured between the fasteningplate and the seat bottom so as to make the armrest keep vertically ontwo sides of the seat after assembling. Thus the applications of thearmrest are increased. Moreover, one armrest design is able to beassembled with various seats and is convenient for assembling andfastening. Therefore, assembling efficiency is improved and this isbeneficial to mass production.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an armrestassembly that includes a pad being positioned and fixed on the fasteningplate before securing the fastening plate on the seat bottom byfastening members such as screws. There is no restriction on assemblingway of the pad on the fastening plate, it can be pinned, locked ormounted thereon. Thus there are more choices of the fixing ways betweenthe pad and the fastening plate as well as other related parts. This isbeneficial to design and production of the pad.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an armrestassembly with a pad that is a piece with even thickness and with areathat is equivalent to half or one-third area of the fastening plate. Thepad can also be a tapered piece with the same area as the fasteningplate and having a tapered plane that the thickness of one end thereofis larger than the thickness of the other end. Thus there are morechoices of the fixing ways between the pad and the fastening plate aswell as other related parts. This is beneficial to design and productionof the pad.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an armrest secured on a seat of a priorart;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an armrest secured on a seat of anembodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an explosive view of an armrest and a pad of the embodiment inFIG. 2 according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pad of the embodiment in

FIG. 3 according to the present invention;

FIG. 4A is another view of the pad in FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is an assembling view of the armrest and the pad of theembodiment in FIG. 3 according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing a front view of the armrestsecured on the seat and stretched vertically thereon of an embodimentaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 6A is a partial enlarged view of a fastening plate of theembodiment in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing a front view of the armrestsecured on the seat in a tilted state;

FIG. 7A is a partial enlarged view of a fastening plate of theembodiment in FIG. 7;

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing a front view of the armrestsecured on the seat and stretched vertically thereon by adjustment of apad of an embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 8A is a partial enlarged view of a fastening plate of theembodiment in FIG. 8;

FIG. 9 is an explosive view of an armrest and a pad of anotherembodiment in FIG. 3 according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an assembling view of the armrest and the pad of anotherembodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 10A is a schematic drawing showing the armrest and the padseparated from each other of the embodiment in FIG. 10 according to thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Refer from FIG. 2 to FIG. 5, an armrest assembly of the presentinvention is applied to connect an armrest 20 of an office chair 2 witha bottom 31 of a seat 30. The armrest 20 includes an armrest member 21,an armrest support 22 and a fastening plate 23 extending from a bottomend of the armrest support 22 toward a seat bottom 31 of a seat 30, anda plurality of fastening holes 24 arranged on the fastening plate 23. Byfastening members 40 such as screws inserting through the fasteningholes 24, the fastening plate 23 is secured on a corresponding surfaceof the seat bottom 31 so that the armrest 20 is assembled with the seat30.

The present invention features on that: a pad 50 with certain thicknessis provided for the fastening holes 24 on the fastening plate 23. Asshown in FIG. 3, the fastening holes 24 are arranged in a square shape,distributed on four corners of the fastening plate 23. A positioningmember 60 on the pad 50 is arranged between the pad 50 and the fasteningplate 23, as shown in FIG. 3 & FIG. 4. Shape of an insertion hole 51 onthe pad 50 corresponds to the fastening holes 24 of the fastening plate23. Thus fastening member 40 such as screw can insert from the bottom tothe top through the fastening hole 24, the insertion hole 51 of the pad50 so as to secure the fastening plate 23 on the surface correspondingto the seat bottom 31. As shown in FIG. 6 & FIG. 6A, the pad 50 isfastened on the corresponding surface 32 of the seat bottom 31.

Moreover, the positioning member 60 between the pad 50 and the fasteningplate 23 is used to make the pad 50 easily and correctly position andfix on the fastening plate 23 before being fastened by the fasteningmember 40, as shown in FIG. 3 & FIG. 5. There is no restriction onassembling way of the positioning member 60, it can be pinned, locked ormounted. Each way that fixes the pad on the fastening plate by easyoperation is feasible. For example, at least one pin 52 is arranged onthe pad 50 while at least one pin hole 25 corresponding to the pin 52 isdisposed on the fastening plate 23 so as to form the positioning member60. Refer to FIG. 3 & FIG. 5, the pad 50 faces towards a proper positionsuch as the inner surface of the seat 30, then by the positioning member60 such as the pint 52 and the pin hole 25, the pad 50 is easilypositioned correctly and fixed firmly on somewhere of the fasteningplate 23. Thus the pad 50 will not separate from or falling off thefastening plate 23.

Refer to FIG. 6 & FIG. 6A, when a armrest 20 is assembled with acorresponding seat 30, once the surface 32 of the seat bottom 31 isfitted with the fastening plate 23 of the armrest 20 properly, thearmrest 20 can keep vertically from the user's view on two sides of theseat 30 after being assembled. Thus there is no need to use the pad 50.

Refer to FIG. 7 & FIG. 7A, when an armrest 20 is assembled with otherseats 30 a with various designs, the armrest 20 is unable to bevertically on two sides of the seat 30 a after being assembled. Theseats 30 a with various designs mean that the arc or the slope of thesurface 32 a on the seat bottom 31 a corresponding to the fasteningplate 23 has changed so that the surface 32 a is different from thesurface 32 of the seat 30. Generally, change of the arc or the slope isnot so large. The difference is in that the armrest 20 will has anincline of some degrees on two sides of the seat 30. Take the embodimentin FIG. 7 as an example, the armrest 20 inclines outwards at θ angle andsuch state is considered as not satisfying basic requirement of armrestassembling.

Refer to FIG. 8 & FIG. 8A, in order to correct inclined sate of thearmrest 20 in FIG. 7 & FIG. 7A, use a pad 5.0 with corresponding design,as shown in FIG. 4 & FIG. 4A, position the pad 50 correctly on a certainposition of the fastening plate 23 by the positioning member 60 havingthe pin 52 and the pin hole 25 in FIG. 3 & FIG. 5. In this embodiment,the pad 50 is respectively positioned on two sides of the seat 30 so asto correct and adjust the relative position of the fastening plate 23 tothe surface 32 a of the seat bottom 31 a. Thus after assembling, thearmrest 20 meets basic requirement of stretching vertically on two sidesof the seat 30 a. Then use fastening members 40 to secure the pad 50between the fastening plate 23 and the surface 32 a of the seat bottom31 a. By corresponding design of the pad 50 to the fastening plate 23,one armrest 20 design can be assembled with various designs of seats 30a. Unlike conventional armrest that can be assembled with only one kindof seat, the applications of the armrest assembly according to thepresent invention are increased. The manufacturing cost of the armrest20 is also reduced. Before fastening the armrest 20, the pad 50 can bepositioned and set on the corresponding fastening plate 23 withoutseparation or falling off. This is convenient for fastening processes ofthe armrest 20 during assembling processes. The assembling efficiency isimproved and mass production is getting easier.

The pad 50 is designed corresponding to shapes of the fastening plate23. As to the structure or positions of the pad 50 on the fasteningplate 23, there is no limit. For example, the pad 50 can be a piece witheven thickness and with area that is equivalent to half (not shown infigure) or one-third area of the fastening plate 23 as shown from FIG. 3to FIG. 5. Moreover, two ends of the pad 50 are respectively arrangedwith an insertion hole 51 that corresponds to the fastening holes 24 onthe fastening plate 23 so that the pad 50 is arranged on a certainposition of the fastening plate 23 such as one side of the seat 30, asshown in FIG. 3 & FIG. 5 or another side of the seat 30, near read sideof the seat 30, as shown in FIG. 9 for adjusting and correcting a tiltedstate of the fastening plate 23 on the surface 32 a of the seat bottom31 a.

Refer to FIG. 10 & FIG. 10A, the pad 50 is a tapered piece with the samearea as the fastening plate 23 and having a tapered plane that thethickness of one end 53 thereof is larger than the thickness of theother end 54. Each of four corners of the pad 50 a has an insertion hole51 a, respectively corresponding to the fastening hole 24 on thefastening plate 23. The pad 50 is also disposed with pins 52 acorresponding to pin holes 25 a on the fastening plate 23. While beingassembled, according to tilted state of the armrest 20, put the thickerside 50 of the pad 50 on one side of the fastening plate 23 that isopposite to the titled direction of the armrest 20 so as to adjust andcorrect the tilted armrest 20. Thus the armrest 20 looks verticallystretched from each side of the seat 30. Thus there are more choices ofthe fixing ways between the pad 50/50 a and the fastening plate 23 aswell as other components such as positioning members 60. This isbeneficial to design and production of the pad.

In summary, when an armrest 20 is assembled with different seats 30/30 aor seat bottom 31/31 a, the pad 50 of the present invention ispositioned and secured on a place of the fastening plate 23 so as toadjust and correct the tilted state between the fastening plate 23 andthe surface 32/32 a of the seat bottom 31/31 a. Then by means of thefastening members 40, the pad 50 is secured between the fastening plate23 and the surface 32/32 a of the seat bottom 31/31 a so that theassembled armrest 20 is vertically on two sides of the seat 30/30 a fromuser's view. Compared with conventional technique, the present inventionhas a wider range of applications, one armrest is not only to be appliedto one seat. Moreover, the pad 50/50 a is positioned and fixed firmly onthe fastening plate 23 before securing the armrest 20 so that assemblingand securing operation is more easy and convenient. Therefore, theassembling efficiency is improved and this is beneficial tomass-production.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects isnot limited to the specific details, and representative devices shownand described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventiveconcept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

1. An armrest assembly applied to connect an armrest of office chairswith a seat bottom of a seat comprising an armrest having an armrestmember, an armrest support and a fastening plate extending from a bottomend of the armrest support toward the seat bottom; the fastening plateis disposed with a plurality of fastening holes so that the fasteningplate is secured on the seat bottom by inserting fastening membersthrough the fastening holes and the armrest is assembled with the seat;the armrest assembly is characterized in that: a pad with certainthickness is disposed on the fastening plate and the pad having aninsertion hole corresponding to the fastening hole on the fasteningplate so that the fastening member inserts thorough the fastening hole,the insertion hole of the pad so as to secure the fastening plate on acorresponding surface of the seat bottom and the pad is fixed betweenthe fastening plate and the corresponding surface of the seat bottom; apositioning member is arranged between the pad and the fastening platefor positioning and fixing the pad correctly and firmly on the fasteningplate before being fastened by the fastening member; while assemblingthe fastening plate of the armrest with the seat bottom of the seat,once the armrest is in tilted state, the pad is positioned and fixed onthe fastening plate by the positioning member so as to correct andadjust the titled state between the fastening plate and thecorresponding surface of the seat bottom; then the pad is securedbetween the fastening plate and the corresponding surface of the seatbottom by the fastening member so that the assembled armrest looksvertically on two sides of the seat.
 2. The device as claimed in claim1, wherein the fastening holes are four fastening holes arranged in asquare shape, distributed on four corners of the fastening plate.
 3. Thedevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein assembling ways of the positioningmember comprising being pinned, locked or mounted.
 4. The device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning member comprising at leastone pin arranged on the pad and at least one pin hole corresponding tothe pin and disposed on the fastening plate so as to secure the pad onthe fastening plate.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thepad is a piece with even thickness and with area that is equivalent tohalf or one-third area of the fastening plate.
 6. The device as claimedin claim 5, wherein two ends of the pad are respectively arranged withan insertion hole that corresponds to the fastening hole on thefastening plate.
 7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pad isa tapered piece with the same area as the fastening plate and having atapered plane that the thickness of one end thereof is larger than thethickness of the other end.
 8. The device as claimed in claim 7, whereinfour corners of the pad are respectively disposed with an insertion holethat corresponds to the fastening hole on the fastening plate.